Silhouette
by nherbie
Summary: 2018 reboot. Post season 1 finale. Hannah is dead and Magnum has gone quiet but someone unexpected is watching over him. Very short one shot.
1. Chapter 1

A/N – Post season one finale. One of the shortest stories I've ever written, but it came to me full blown.

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Silhouette

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Juliet Higgins stood in the shadows, her arms crossed. She leaned up against one of the trees and watched the solitary man standing on the beach, staring out to sea. He'd been standing there like a statue for over an hour, not moving a muscle, something she wasn't used to from him. He always seemed to be in motion when he wasn't sleeping. She wanted to comfort him, but something about his stance said he wouldn't appreciate it. She sighed. She knew about love and loss. Magnum, however, had experienced betrayal and pain in between the love and the loss. It had been three days since they had brought Hannah's body home from Myanmar. He laughed, he joked, but his eyes didn't hold the same sparkle. She'd watched him rocking Hannah's body in the middle of that dirt road, kissing her forehead and holding back tears. The woman hadn't deserved it. Even now, Juliet wasn't sure if she took the bullet meant for Thomas because she actually did love him or to atone for all the hideous things that she had done to him and his three best friends. If she were to hazard a guess, it would be the latter. Especially based on the fact that her last words to him had been 'I'm sorry' and not 'I love you'. Then again, maybe she was just cynical.

She still couldn't imagine doing the things Hannah had done. Not to Richard, or anyone else for that matter, even if it were for her father or someone else she loved, no matter what the circumstances. She knew in her bones; her father would have disowned her if she'd done even half the things the other woman had done to bring her own father home. It wasn't admirable, it wasn't tragic, it was downright despicable. Hannah had said she hadn't had a choice, but there was always a choice. Something she had a feeling T.C. and Rick would agree with. Unfortunately, Magnum had a soft spot for anyone in trouble, including his ex, no matter how badly she'd hurt him. It had gotten him into trouble more times than she could count in the short time she'd known him. This time may even have lost him the trust and friendship of Detective Katsumoto.

She continued to watch him as the sun set, setting the sky on fire with oranges, reds and yellows, with some purple thrown in for good measure. He slowly became a dark silhouette, standing out against the brilliant night sky. Without consciously thinking about it, she pulled out her phone and took a quiet picture of him. Looking at the screen, she could almost feel the heartache pulsing from it. She'd never show him this, never show it to anyone, should probably delete it, but couldn't bring herself to do so. There was just something so poignant about it.

A few minutes later, she heard the pounding of paws heading from the main house down towards the beach. She straightened, worried about his reaction. She knew the dogs wouldn't attack him without a specific order from her to do so, but he didn't know that. She expected him to turn tail and run, the dogs on his heels as they often were. Instead, he didn't move. The dogs slowed down as if confused by the unexpected response of their favorite prey. They reached him and he still hadn't reacted, hadn't taken his eyes off the horizon. Shockingly, Zeus calmly sat on his left side and Apollo found a spot to his right. Both dogs were now silhouetted against the sky, their pointy ears standing out in stark relief against the colors mother nature was throwing at them. Almost without volition, she snapped another picture. Another one that would be for her eyes only.

She waited to see what he would do about the dogs. When several minutes passed, she had just about decided he wouldn't do a thing and then his hands began to move. Both at the same time, both at the same slow pace. He placed a hand on the head of each dog and neither objected to the gentle touch. It was almost like they could sense his sadness and put aside their natural inclination to harass him. The two Dobermans were more sensitive than people would think. She took another picture almost against her will. This one made him appear less lonely. The three pictures were almost like a progression back to the land of the living.

The sun slowly sank below the horizon and the sky darkened. Still, none of the four moved. It wasn't until the darkness was total that he seemed to shake himself out of his reverie. He patted both dogs softly and turned. His footsteps were slow as he made his way towards the guest house, the dogs padding quietly along behind him. Still, she had a feeling that things would be back to normal between those three by tomorrow. She stepped a little further back into the shadows as he approached, trying to hide her presence, not knowing if he would take it the way she meant. She wasn't here to spy on him, she only wanted to watch over him, make sure he was safe. She knew he wouldn't do anything stupid, he hadn't survived over eighteen months as a prisoner without a strong desire to live. She just felt an inexplicable need to be where he was. He passed her hiding spot and she thought she was safe until she heard him say quietly. "Thank you, Juliet." He disappeared into the night as she stared after him. He surprised her sometimes. She smiled a little and made her own way home.

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A/N2 – I heartily disliked Hannah and I'm glad that story line is over. Can't wait for the next season to see how things play out. I'm hoping they don't keep Katsumoto and Magnum at odds. I rather the detective's reluctant and somewhat puzzled response to him.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N – I know this story was marked as complete but a review by diana-of-wales, asking for another chapter from Magnum's point of view, set this up in my head and I had to write it down. A review from NZNaturalKiwi also suggested another chapter with him finding the pictures on Higgins's phone and his reaction to them. That's simmering, so there may be a chapter 3 at some point!

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Chapter 2

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Magnum stood on the beach and stared at the horizon. He waited for the peace and calm that usually came to him when staring out at the vastness of the ocean. When it didn't come, he cursed softly under his breath. Had she stolen this from him too? It had been three days. Three days since he'd brought her father and her body home. The flight was a nightmare that he couldn't seem to wake up from. How could he still love her after everything she'd done? Not only to him, but to his best friends. No matter the reasons as to why.

He stood statue still, the feeling odd. Ever since he could remember, he hated being still. Even when they'd thrown him in solitary, he'd always managed to move about unless whatever his injuries at the time wouldn't allow it. Not the best trait for a private investigator but he'd found ways around it when he was stuck on stakeouts. Now, he felt so drained he wasn't sure he could move if he wanted to. He knew his friends were worried about him, that they'd seen through the careful façade he'd erected back in Myanmar. That they'd seen the smiles didn't reach his eyes, that the jokes fell flat.

One of them was watching him from the shadows of the trees right now. A quick smile lit up his face, but it didn't last long. He pondered the enigma that was Juliet Higgins. Ex MI6, tough as nails, could take down a man twice her size without breaking a sweat, but a good person and a better friend under the surface. She was honest, almost to the point of brutality, and he liked that about her. There weren't many people who would have joined the three veterans for a quick jaunt onto foreign soil to exchange a wanted, and wounded, Korean counterfeiter for the father of the woman who'd sent him, Rick, Nuzo and T.C. to that hell hole in Afghanistan. Who'd shot him trying to get the gold to purchase her father's release. Who'd lied and betrayed everyone more times than he could count. But, gone she had, without a second thought.

He wondered if she knew that he was aware of her. He knew she didn't think much of his skills, but he was every bit as observant as he continuously boasted to her, mainly just to wind her up. When she'd told him to close his eyes on the T.R. Belle after they'd been rescued from the yacht jacking, he'd known what she was up to. He'd closed them and then asked her how he could possibly remember what was on the table next to her, picturing the smug look on her face when he'd said it. He'd also pictured the mild shock that replaced it when he told her exactly what was there, right down to where the bookmark was. At the moment, he could sense her at his back, and he felt her concern for him almost as if she'd spoken it aloud. How did he end up with such good friends?

His thoughts turned to Katsumoto. He hadn't heard a word from the man since he'd stormed out of the hangar after their return. He knew the detective was angry at him, felt betrayed. It mattered to him, but he knew he'd do it all over again. A good man was home, a counterfeiter was in custody and Hannah? Well, he wished it hadn't turned out the way it had but there was nothing he could do about it now. She'd brought it all on herself. If she'd asked them for help, they all would have given it in a minute, even if it had meant court martial. He still couldn't fathom why she thought being a Taliban prisoner of war was better then being in a military prison. At least then, they would have known why. At least then, it would have been _their_ choice.

He'd known it was over between them, that he could never have trusted her again. Even after he finally got the explanation he'd been after for over three years. He also knew if he'd even thought about taking her back, he'd have lost his brothers and that was not something he was willing to consider. The detective had been upset that they'd gone behind his back, going to Myanmar alone. He'd never had the chance to tell him that they hadn't, in fact, been alone. MI6 and the Navy had been read in and had been watching over them. When the fighting broke out, they were just that much too far away to make it on scene before it was over, it was that quick.

He'd watched as Hannah took the bullet for him. Had run to her side as she lay dying in the dirt, all thoughts of betrayal gone, consumed by grief. He'd held her in his arms, and she'd betrayed him one last time. Her last words of "I'm so sorry." weren't the ones he'd wanted to hear. He'd wanted to hear her honestly say that she loved him. When she hadn't, he felt the last vestiges of hope that she'd ever loved him, burn away. He'd only been a means to an end. The heaviness weighed him down as the sky did its best to cheer him up, turning a riot of beautiful colors as the sun set.

When he heard the pounding of paws behind him, he waited for the normal fight or flight reaction he experienced when the dogs headed for him. That, too, was lacking. He was aware they really wouldn't attack him without a direct command from Higgins, something he never told her he'd realized, as he watched the dogs obey her commands time and time again. Still, he knew she enjoyed watching him run from them, yelling for her to do something. The pounding slowed and he waited for what they would do, only slightly curious. When Zeus sat quietly to his left and Apollo took up position on his right, he found he wasn't all that surprised and felt something loosen in his chest. He continued to watch the sunset for a few minutes and then slowly did something he hadn't dared to before. He reached out a hand to both, waiting for one or both to snap at it. When they didn't, he placed a hand on each head and gently rubbed. Neither made a sound. Together he and 'the lads' as Juliet called them, watched the sun sink below the horizon and the light wink out.

He stood there for a while longer and then knew it was time to head in. He needed to get past this, get on with his life. That chapter was over, dead and about to be buried. He'd contemplated going to her funeral, but it was in her home town back on the mainland and he'd finally decided he'd had all the closure he wanted. He knew his friends would have tried to talk him out of it and then gone with him if they hadn't been able to. He thought they were grateful not to have had to deal with that. He'd seen the looks on their faces when he'd told them where and when it was, after Mac had let him know. Rick had tensed up and he's almost seen him marshaling all his arguments against it, the thoughts chasing themselves over his face. When no suggestions of attending had been forthcoming, his friend had almost seemed to deflate right in front of his eyes.

He had a feeling he wouldn't be welcome, anyway. He and Hannah's father had barely exchanged ten words on the flight home. Somehow, the man seemed to blame him for his daughter's death. He hadn't told the man anything about his only child's actions, figuring it would only add to his despair. The man had been debriefed by the CIA and released. He'd then made arrangements for her body to be sent home, to be buried next to her mother. If the CIA had told him about her extracurricular activities, he wasn't aware of it. They'd debriefed all of them as well, but as the event had basically been sanctioned by agencies in two countries, it hadn't been all that long or grueling.

He turned to head back in, and the dogs trotted along behind him as if not wanting to let him out of their sights. He wondered if tomorrow, things would be back to normal between them. He was pretty sure the answer was yes. He smiled slightly and this time it stayed on his face. He moved past the spot he knew Juliet was standing, sensing her move further back into the shadows. As he walked past her spot, he thought of allowing her the conceit of thinking he didn't know she was there, but he felt the need to say something. To let her know he appreciated both the concern she projected and the space she'd allowed him.

Softly, not making a big deal of it, not stopping to talk, he merely said as he continued on his way. "Thank you, Juliet."

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End file.
